An example of the prediction for a recent product that was found to have elongational properties that were sensitive to the combination of temperature and humidity is shown in the figure below.

Prediction of the current performance of an item after exposure to a known environment for approximately two years followed by a hypothetical environment for the remaining portion of the designated 15-year life.

Scribben recognizes that all approaches have limitations and warns of a more practical issue. Aside from a few minor technical limitations, such as products that exhibit a random or non-monotonic response, this approach can be resource intensive and, in its entirety, may not be applicable to every product. It is better suited for situations involving long time scales, limited product availability, or cost constraints associated with testing in great quantities. However, the scope of each activity may be customized to produce a program that is amenable to a much wider variety of products. The balance between confidence and risk lies at the core of characterizing life performance.

Battelle has utilized this versatile approach many times to predict changes in material performance,” says Scribben. “We have made life predictions based on changes in material properties for a wide variety of environments and products that are intended to function for periods ranging from several years to more than 20 years. We have been conducting this type of analysis for our customers for nearly 30 years and continue to be pleased with the results.”